This invention relates to a medication crusher and, more particularly, to a medication crusher used to pulverize or crush pills for a user using rotational movement.
Many individuals taking medication are simply unable to swallow pills and, further, many other individuals cannot swallow pills relatively large in size although they may be able to swallow smaller pills. In certain cases, it may be desirable to provide for medication in a non-obvious form when sedation is necessary for example. The effects of not taking medication because of its pill form can, of course, adversely effect the health of such people and prolong sickness and other uncomfortable symptoms.
Pill or medicine crushers are known. Such a medication crushing apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,393 (Elkins). Elkins places a paper cup open end up on an anvil with the medication positioned in the cup. A further paper cup of identical size is placed on the first paper cup. A crushing plate is attached to a handle which reciprocates in a circular arc. The crushing plate enters the further cup and exerts a downward force on the lowermost area of the cup which then crushes the medication. Following the crushing action, the top paper cup is removed from the crushing plate and the medication is subsequently processed for ingestion.
The apparatus works in a relatively satisfactory manner but the force applied to the handle must sometimes be substantial, particularly for larger pills. Further, in order for the lever to which the crushing plate is attached to apply the necessary crushing force, the lever has a relatively long length making the medicine crusher of the ""393 patent unnecessarily large. A further disadvantage of the apparatus of the ""393 patent is that the force of the crushing action is generally centered somewhat off the middle of the medication. The medication may be crushed relatively unevenly and some areas may not be crushed at all. Yet a further problem is that the noise level associated with crushing medication using the technique disclosed by aforementioned Elkins is high.
A further medication crusher is illustrated and described in Canadian Patent 5,060,862 (Allair). The ""862 patent teaches a medication holder which is positioned in a plastic receptacle. The receptacle is placed on the base of the apparatus. A crusher member attached to a shaft is allowed to xe2x80x9cfallxe2x80x9d on the pill in an attempt to initially crush at least portions of the pill. Thereafter, the crusher member is rotated downwardly onto the pill which serves to further pulverize the pill pieces.
There are, however, numerous disadvantages inherent in this machine. First, since there is no protection between the crusher member and the medication, subsequent use of the apparatus, unless cleaned, has the opportunity to contaminate the subsequent medication. Second, there is an initial noise level which may be objectionable particularly when used for prolonged periods of time. Third, the device is relatively complex to use thereby taking unnecessary time and being prone to breakdown.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for crushing medication comprising an anvil, a crusher member separated from said anvil, said crusher member and said anvil having relative rotational movement about a first rotational axis extending perpendicular to said anvil to allow said anvil and said crusher member to decrease the distance therebetween to crush said medication and to allow the distance between said anvil and said crusher member to increase thereby to reduce and terminate force between said crusher member and said anvil, one of said crusher member and said anvil being rotatable about a second rotational axis perpendicular to said first rotational axis to allow release of said medication from one of said anvil or crusher member.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of crushing medication comprising the steps of positioning said medication between an anvil and a crusher member, rotating one of said anvil or crusher member in a first direction to cause relative rotational movement about a first axis between said anvil and said crusher member and to decrease the distance between said anvil and said crusher member and crush said medication, rotating one of said anvil or base in a direction opposite to said first direction to increase the distance between said anvil and said crusher member and rotating one of said anvil or crusher member about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis to allow access and removal of said crushed medication.